malazanfandomcom-20200222-history
Guardian of the Names
The Guardian of the Names was an ancient god that dwelt on a vast plain deep below the sea. It guarded six dolmens fashioned by the sea god, Mael, to serve as sanctuary for untold numbers of Forgotten Gods whose names were no longer remembered. A nameless god would otherwise vanish and die.Midnight Tides, Chapter 6, US SFBC p.201-207 The Guardian was a huge figure clad in black, patinated armour studded with rivets green with verdigris. It wore a great helm with full cheek guards vertically slitted to the chin and thin eye slits caged in a grille mesh that hung down to the shoulders and breastplate. Barnacles crusted its joints and tendrils of clinging plants drifted in the water. Its gauntlets were made of overlapping plates of untarnished silver. It carried a two-handed sword whose blade was as wide as a man's hands were long.Midnight Tides, Chapter 6, US SFBC p.203 The Guardian leaked blood from its hands and projected an aura of fear that caused unwary opponents to slow and struggle. The blood belonged to the surviving gods and was replenished from those the Guardian slew.Midnight Tides, Chapter 6, US SFBC p.203-205 In Midnight Tides After Warlock King Hannan Mosag unleashed a powerful force on Trate's harbour, Nifadas and Ceda Kuru Qan suspected the Tiste Edur was somehow manipulating Mael to do his bidding. King Ezgara Diskanar ordered Brys Beddict to find the truth of the matter and free Mael from the Edur's influence.Midnight Tides, Chapter 6, US SFBC p.183-194 The Ceda brought Brys to the Cedance and toppled him over into the tile of the Dolmen, one of the Fulcra. The King's Champion found himself deep below the sea where he discovered six dolmens with carved surfaces. Beneath the carved glyphs he could make out various monstrous figures which he interpreted to be imprisoned inside. On the fourth dolmen, one of the glyphs was unravelled and the prisoner missing.Midnight Tides, Chapter 6, US SFBC p.194/201-203 Brys was interrupted by the arrival of the Guardian, who accused him of having released and taken the missing figure then come back for more. Brys explained that he had no use for demons and the apparition explained that the figures were forgotten gods, not demons, and that the glyphs were but a sanctuary created by Mael to prevent them vanishing by being forgotten. It told Brys that the one who was missing had his name obliterated and was bound by a new name thus becoming a slave. The Guardian then attacked Brys.Midnight Tides, Chapter 6, US SFBC p.203-204 Brys was equal to the task, disarming the god and shattering its leg. But the King's Champion showed the Guardian mercy. Brys offered to heal it with his own blood to prevent the power of the Guardian from leaving and gave it his unbreakable sword of Letheran steel. After he healed the Guardian, Brys asked for the names of the forgotten gods, so that whilst he was alive none other could enslave them. As the names seared into his head he awoke in the chamber of the tiles and told Kuru Qan what the Edur had done.Midnight Tides, Chapter 6, US SFBC p.204-207 On the day of the Seventh Closure, the Guardian appeared in the throne room of the Eternal Domicile after the duel between Brys and Emperor Rhulad Sengar. Looking at the body of the King's Champion, the Guardian proclaimed him an honourable mortal and mourned the loss of the forgotten names that Brys held. He confronted the Errant who admitted to "pushing" Brys into drinking the poison. But the Errant also stated that the Guardian could save the names if he quickly found someone else. As it departed, the Guardian stopped before Rhulad as the Edur writhed in agony and slew him with its sword, saying Brys had taught it mercy. Nudged by the Errant, it did not understand that it had undone Brys' work to neutralise the Crippled God's servant.Midnight Tides, Chapter 25, US SFBC p.754-755 The Guardian took Brys to where Mael stood over the unconscious Tehol Beddict. Through the brothers' shared blood, he was able to pass knowledge of the names to Tehol. Then after receiving an apology from Mael for the neglect of his servant, the Guardian returned to his post with Brys to serve at his side.Midnight Tides, Chapter 25, US SFBC p.757-758 Notes and references Category:Gods